Most television viewers now receive their television signals through a content aggregator such as a cable or satellite television provider. For subscribers to a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service, for example, television programming is received via a broadcast that is sent via a satellite to an antenna that is generally located on the exterior of a home or other structure. Other customers receive television programming through conventional television broadcasts, or through cable, wireless or other media. Programming is typically received at a receiver such as a “set top box” (STB) or other receiver that demodulates the received signals and converts the demodulated content into a format that can be presented to the viewer on a television or other display. In addition to receiving and demodulating television programming, many television receivers are able to provide additional features. Examples of features available in many modern television receivers include electronic program guides (EPGs), digital or other personal video recorders, “place-shifting” features for streaming received content over a network or other medium, providing customer service information and/or the like.
Generally speaking, viewers interact with the STB or other receiver using some sort of user interface that receives inputs from a remote control or other input device. To change a channel, for example, the viewer typically depresses a “channel up/down” button, manually enters a number of a desired channel on a numeric keypad, and/or selects the new channel using a program guide feature of the receiver. The receiver then processes received viewer input to make desired changes to the on-screen display.
It is not unusual for a viewer's home entertainment system to include any number of different components produced by a variety of manufacturers. As a result, it is a non-trivial process to program or configure a remote control device to interact with each of the components within a system. Typically, this configuration process involves the user entering a complex series of keystrokes into the remote control device based on an often-incomplete set of codes provided in a printed manual.
Accordingly, it is therefore desirable to provide systems and methods for configuring a remote control device in a way that is simple and convenient for the user. These and other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background section.